The topic of discussion at The H.U.B. today was the Threshold Covenant. This seemed a fitting topic just coming out of the Passover season. The conversation was lively and interesting. Everyone walked away with something new today and that is always a great thing.

The following images are snapshots of our meeting notes from today. At the bottom of this posting is a link to download all of the notes we collected up (pictures of today's notes, some individual notes from attendees, etc.) in a single ZIP file for your viewing convenience. Not all of the notes are orderly but you are free to peruse them all!

The topic of discussion at The H.U.B. today was the Threshold Covenant. This seemed a fitting topic just coming out of the Passover season. The conversation was lively and interesting. Everyone walked away with something new today and that is always a great thing.

The following images are snapshots of our meeting notes from today. At the bottom of this posting is a link to download all of the notes we collected up (pictures of today's notes, some individual notes from attendees, etc.) in a single ZIP file for your viewing convenience. Not all of the notes are orderly but you are free to peruse them all!

Our first approach was see see if we could define the high-level aspects of Covenant in general and Threshold Covenant in particular. We then circled around to our "definition" at the end of the study/midrash to see if we agreed with our original thoughts or whether they should be amended.

The subsequent images are additions notes, scripture references, observations, etc. that were directly from the attendees to The H.U.B.

Thanks to everyone that came out today to help us be a connecting point for sojourners pursuing others within the Torah community to gather with consistently. The heart of The H.U.B.’s purpose is that we want to see the entire body of Torah pursuers to grow from Yah’s Word and believe this is best achieved by being in close family-like fellowship with other believers.

So, it is commonly stated that Sha'ul (Paul) was teaching, preaching, writing to, and otherwise reaching out to the Gentiles. The possibility exists that this may not be quite as it seems. First, let's look at the word for gentiles that is used in the B'rit Hadasha (New Testament).

There are 5 Greek words used in the NT that are generally rendered as "gentile" They are

ἐθνικός - ethnikos - G14821) adapted to the genius or customs of a people, peculiar to a people, national2) suited to the manners or language of foreigners, strange, foreign3) in the NT savouring of the nature of pagans, alien to the worship of the true God, heathenish3a) of the pagan, the GentilePart of Speech: noun masculineA Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G1484

ἔθνος - ethnos - G14841) a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together1a) a company, troop, swarm2) a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus2a) the human family3) a tribe, nation, people group4) in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles5) Paul uses the term for Gentile ChristiansPart of Speech: noun neuterA Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: probably from G1486

Ἑλλην - Hellēn - G16721) a Greek either by nationality, whether a native of the main land or of the Greek islands or colonies2) in a wider sense the name embraces all nations not Jews that made the language, customs, and learning of the Greeks their own; the primary reference is to a difference of religion and worshipPart of Speech: noun masculineA Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G1671

Now that we can see based on simply the definitions that the term gentile is most often referring to a nation, group of people, or even specifically the Greeks. Let's look at some scripture to set the stage before continuing.

Acts 9:15-16 NASBBut the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; (16) for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake."

Acts 22:21 NASB "And He said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

Galatians 1:15-17 NASBBut when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased (16) to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, (17) nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

1 Timothy 2:7 NASBFor this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Now that we have some examples stating that Sha'ul was sent to the gentiles let see where some of those people were. The image below is a map depicting the Israelite, or as some might suggest, the Jewish Diaspora during the first century. Each of the orange dots on the map represents a Israelite population center at the time. Overlayed on to the map are yellow boxes highlighting cities where Sha'ul traveled or wrote to during his ministry.

Based on this map it is pretty compelling that the so-called gentiles that Sha'ul was trying to reach were really the lost tribes of Israel otherwise referred to as the Diaspora.

Below is a clip from a teaching that Jim Staley posted. Listen to what he has to say on this subject as well.

Additionally, since Sha'ul was spreading the message of Yeshua it should also be considered what Yeshua himself said.

Matthew 10:5-6 NASB These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; (6) but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 15:24 NASBBut He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

From these verses we see that Yeshua sent his twelve out to the lost tribes of Israel and he stated clearly his objective was to reach the lost tribes of Israel.

So, while Sha'ul would teach any and all comers, to state that his primary objective was to reach the pagan people of the known world at the time might be a mistake. Sha'ul certainly taught pagans but he was arguably focused on reaching the lost tribes of Israel to indicate that the awaited Messiah had indeed come. The Messiah that had been foretold by the prophets and that was being looked for. Sha'ul's ministry was an extension of Yeshua's ministry with a primary focus being to reach the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" but also welcoming anyone demonstrating faith in the Messiah.